Foot stabilizing device

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a foot stabilizing device, which can be an insole body or a sole body having a foot contacting surface. The insole body or the foot contacting surface of the sole body has a toe region, a foot sole region, a foot arch region, and a foot heel region for corresponding to the toes, the foot sole, the foot arch and the foot heel of a user&#39;s foot, respectively. The present invention is characterized in that a reducing stress structure is formed between a center position of a rear end of the toe region and a middle portion of the foot sole region in longitudinal direction. Thus, the contacting force between the use&#39;s foot and the reducing stress structure can be minimized and the user&#39;s foot can be stabilized on the insole body or the sole body thereby to prevent the foot from sliding forwardly or around.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to a foot stabilizing device, and moreparticularly, to the foot stabilizing device that uses a reducing stressstructure to reduce the force in contact with a user's foot.

2. Description of Related Art

A human foot contains 26 bones and 33 joints, and these bones and jointsare covered by more than 100 muscles, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels,nerves, skin, and soft tissues. Regardless of standing or walking, thewhole operation of the feet is very complicated.

Since both feet are provided for supporting the whole body weight andthe structure of human bones and muscles intertwined with each other,therefore the knees and pelvis may be affected when there is a problemof the foot structure. In a more serious case, spine may be skewed, andthe bone structure further affects the functions of human organs.Podiatric medicine begins to be taken increasingly more serious, andfeasible solutions are provided by podiatric medicine to prevent theaforementioned problems.

In international podiatric medicine, insole is generally used as a footaid to correct and treat foot problems. However, the design of most ofthe present existing insoles are based on the three-point mechanics ofhuman arch, so that a transverse arch, an inner arch and an outer archof the foot arch achieve a three-point stress balance. The presentexisting insoles come with various different designs, such as threesupport points according to the three-point mechanics which refer toprotrusions or recesses formed at a first metatarsal position, a fifthmetatarsal position, and a heel position, or a heel cup designattempting to cover and stabilize a user's foot. However, the contactposition of the foot with the insole may be shifted after a long time ofwalking, so that the foot will slide on the insole, and an unstablesituation of the feet may occur.

In addition, portions of a foot which are between a second phalange anda second metatarsus and between a third phalange and a third metatarsusprotrude further to the outside than other metatarsus, and suchcorresponding portions still have a planar surface on the insole, andthus the foot may slide forward or sideway when these portions are incontact with the insole every time, and the foot stability for a perfectwalking posture is ruined.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention discloses a foot stabilizing device having areducing stress structure formed on a contact surface of an insole bodyor a sole body with a user's foot and provided for reducing the contactforce of user's foot with the reducing stress structure and stabilizingthe foot to prevent the foot from sliding forward or sideway.

The present invention provides a foot stabilizing device which is aninsole body having a toe region, a foot sole region, a foot arch regionand a foot heel region sequentially disposed from an insole front-end toan insole rear-end, characterized in that the insole body comprises areducing stress structure extended longitudinally from the centerposition of a rear end of the toe region to the middle position of thefoot sole region.

The present invention also provides a foot stabilizing device which is asole body having a foot contacting surface, and the foot contactingsurface has a toe region, a foot sole region, a foot arch region and afoot heel region sequentially disposed from a sole front-end to a solerear-end, characterized in that the foot contacting surface comprises areducing stress structure extended longitudinally from the centerposition of a rear end of the toe region to the middle position of thefoot sole region.

The present invention at least has the effects of:

1. stabilizing the position of the foot to prevent the foot from slidingforward or sideway; and

2. allowing the user to walk with an almost perfect walking posture.

The detailed features and advantages of the present invention will bedescribed in detail with reference to the preferred embodiment so as toenable persons skilled in the art to gain insight into the technicaldisclosure of the present invention, implement the present inventionaccordingly, and readily understand the objectives and advantages of thepresent invention by perusal of the contents disclosed in thespecification, the claims, and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a foot stabilizing device with an ovalshaped reducing stress structure in accordance with a preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a foot stabilizing device with anotheroval shaped reducing stress structure in accordance with a preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a user's foot stepping on the footstabilizing device as depicted in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a foot stabilizing device with a prolateelliptical shaped reducing stress structure in accordance with apreferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a foot stabilizing device with anotherprolate elliptical shaped reducing stress structure in accordance with apreferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a user's foot stepping on the footstabilizing device as depicted in FIG. 4 or FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the foot stabilizing as depicted in FIG. 4further including an assistant reducing stress structure;

FIG. 8 is a schematic view of the foot stabilizing as depicted in FIG. 5further including an assistant reducing stress structure;

FIG. 9 is a schematic view of a user's foot stepping on the footstabilizing device as depicted in FIG. 7 or FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of a reducing stress structure which is astructure with a concave lower surface in accordance with a preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a reducing stress structure which is astructure with both concave upper and lower surfaces in accordance witha preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a schematic view of a foot stabilizing device with a reducingstress structure and an assistant reducing stress structure made of asoft substance in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 13 is a sectional view of Section A-A of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a schematic view of another foot stabilizing device with areducing stress structure and an assistant reducing stress structuremade of a soft substance in accordance with a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 15 is a sectional view of Section B-B of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a schematic view of a foot stabilizing device furthercomprising balancing bumps in accordance with a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention; and

FIG. 17 is a schematic view of another foot stabilizing device furthercomprising balancing bumps in accordance with a preferred embodiment ofthe present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 for a foot stabilizing device inaccordance with embodiments of the present invention, the footstabilizing device may be an insole body 10 or a sole body 11.

In FIG. 1, the foot stabilizing device, which is the insole body 10, hasa toe region 21, a foot sole region 22, a foot arch region 23 and a footheel region 24 sequentially disposed from an insole front-end 12 a to aninsole rear-end 13 a of the insole body 10. In FIG. 2, the sole body 11has a foot contacting surface 111, and a shoe body may be installedalong an edge of the contour of the sole body 11 to build the structureof the shoe body. The foot stabilizing device, which is the sole body11, has a toe region 21, a foot sole region 22, a foot arch region 23and a foot heel region 24 disposed sequentially from a sole front-end 12b to a sole rear-end 13 b of the foot contacting surface 111.

In FIG. 3, a foot may be divided into three main parts, respectively,forefoot, midfoot, and hindfoot. The toe region 21 and the foot soleregion 22 are configured to be corresponsive to a user's forefoot, andthe forefoot is formed by five toe phalanges and five metatarsusconnected to the toe phalanges, wherein the phalange is formed by manysmall bones, and the metatarsus and the phalanges are connected to forma forefoot sole. The hindfoot has seven heel bones, and these heel bonesare connected by ligaments and connected with five parallel metatarsalbones and primarily provided for supporting a user's body weight andmaintain the balance of the user's body. The midfoot has a foot archwith an arch-shaped structure, and the foot arch comprises a transversearch, an inner arch, and an outer arch, and these arches provide thefunctions of absorbing reaction forces coming from the ground,dispersing weight, and maintain the user's feet in a normal walkingsituation.

When the user's foot steps on the insole body 10 or the sole body 11,the user's toe is situated in the toe region 21, and the user'smetatarsus is situated in the foot sole region 22, and the arch issituated in the foot arch region 23, and the heel is situated in thefoot heel region 24.

In FIGS. 1 to 3, these preferred embodiments are characterized in that areducing stress structure 30 is formed on the insole body 10 or the footcontacting surface 111 of the sole body 11 and disposed on the foot soleregion 22. The reducing stress structure 30 is longitudinally extendedfrom the center position of a rear end of the toe region 21 to themiddle position of the foot sole region 22. The center position of therear end of the toe region 21 refers to the position between a secondtoe and a third toe of the user's foot when the foot steps on the insolebody 10 or the sole body 11. The middle position of the foot sole region22 refers to the position between a second metatarsus and a thirdmetatarsus of the user's foot when the foot steps on the insole body 10or the sole body 11.

The reducing stress structure 30 has a width equal to one-third of thewidth of the insole body 10 or the foot contacting surface 111. In otherwords, the insole body 10 or the foot contacting surface 111 is dividedinto three equal parts along the horizontal direction, and the reducingstress structure 30 is situated at the middle position of the insolebody 10 or the foot contacting surface 111 in the horizontal direction.The reducing stress structure 30 may be in an oval shape (or atriangular shape with three round angles), and the oval shape has atapered end 32 a proximate to the toe region 21 to fit the tapered shapeof a human foot sole tapered from the metatarsus towards the phalange.By extending the reducing stress structure 30 longitudinally from thecenter position of the rear end of the toe region 21 to the middleposition of the foot sole region 22, the contact area and contact forcebetween the second metatarsus and the insole body 10 or the sole body 11as well as that between the third metatarsus and the insole body 10 orthe sole body 11 can be reduced when the user lifts or drops the foot ina walk, so as to solve the problem of sliding the foot forward orsideway.

In FIGS. 4 to 6, the reducing stress structure 30 a is further extendedtowards to the foot heel region 24 and to the front end of the foot archregion 23, so that the shape of the reducing stress structure 30 a ischanged from the oval shape into a better prolate elliptical shape forincreasing the area of the reducing stress structure 30 a. Similarly,both ends of the prolate elliptical shape have a tapered end 32 b, andthe reducing stress structure 30 a has a width equal to one-third of thewidth of the insole body 10 or the foot contacting surface 111. With theinstallation of the reducing stress structure 30 a, the user's walkingposture is more stable, and the contact force between the position ofthe second metatarsus and the third metatarsus of the user's foottowards the toe ditch position and the heel position and the reducingstress structure 30 a can be reduced to overcome the problem of slidingthe foot forward while walking,

Regardless of the oval shape (or considered as a triangular shape withthree round angles) or the prolate elliptical shape, both shapes areslender in coordination with the long shape of the foot bones. Comparedwith the traditional circular aid structure, the present invention canachieve a more effective effect of stabilizing the foot.

To cope with different sizes of the insole body 10 or the sole body 11,the reducing stress structure 30 a in the prolate elliptical shape mayhave a length from 8.5 cm to 12 cm or from 8.8 cm to 11.7 cm, and awidth from 2.5 cm to 4 cm, or from 2.8 cm to 3.7 cm.

In FIGS. 7 to 9, an assistant reducing stress structure 31 is installedon the foot contacting surface 111 of the insole body 10 or the solebody 11 to further reduce the stress imposed on the user's outer arch.The assistant reducing stress structure 31 is disposed at a lateral sideof the foot arch region 23 which is the position opposite to the outerarch. The assistant reducing stress structure 31 is in the shape of ameniscus and disposed along an edge of the insole body 10 or the footcontacting surface 111, so that the short arc edge of the meniscus isdisposed along the edge of the insole body 10 or the foot contactingsurface 111. Even not fully shown in the figures, the assistant reducingstress structure 31 may be used selectively and flexibly with thereducing stress structure 30, 30 a in the oval shape or the prolateelliptical shape. Similarly, the assistant reducing stress structure 31can reduce the contact force of the user's foot outer arch with theinsole body 10 and the sole body 11 and stabilize the foot and preventit from shaking sideway.

In each of the aforementioned figures, the reducing stress structure 30,30 a or the assistant reducing stress structure 31 may be a structurewith a concave upper surface. In

FIGS. 10 and 11, as the foot stabilizing device is the insole body 10,the reducing stress structure 30 a is a structure with a concave lowersurface or a structure with both concave upper and lower surfaces. Evennot shown in the figures, the assistant reducing stress structure 31 mayalso be a structure with a concave lower surface or a structure withboth concave upper and lower surfaces for reducing the structuralstrength of the insole body 10 at the reducing stress structure 30, 30 aor the assistant reducing stress structure 31, such that when the user'sfoot steps on the insole body 10 or the sole body 11, the contact forcearound a second metatarsus and a third metatarsus of the foot can bereduced.

In FIGS. 12 and 13, the reducing stress structure 30 a or the assistantreducing stress structure 31 are made of a soft substance 40 with ahardness smaller than the hardness of the insole body 10 or the solebody 11. For example, the sectional view shows that a portion of theinsole body 10 at the reducing stress structure 30 a or the assistantreducing stress structure 31 is removed, and the soft substance 40 isfilled and fixed to the insole body 10. The reducing stress structure 30a is just provided for illustration only, and the reducing stressstructure 30 may also be made of a soft substance to achieve the effectof reducing the structural strength and the contact force.

In FIGS. 14 and 15, when the reducing stress structure 30, 30 a or theassistant reducing stress structure 31 made of a soft substance 40 isapplied to the sole body 11, just the sole body 11 in a portion of thefoot contacting surface 111 corresponsive to the reducing stressstructure 30, 30 a or the assistant reducing stress structure 31 isremoved, and then the soft substance 40 is filled and fixed to the solebody 11.

In FIG. 16, if the reducing stress structure is in an oval shape, afirst balancing bump 51 is arranged in a region of the reducing stressstructure 30 to further improve the stability of lifting and steppingthe foot on the reducing stress structure 30. The first balancing bump51 is disposed on a line of symmetry 33 of the reducing stress structure30, wherein the line of symmetry 33 refers to the center line ofreducing stress structure 30, and the reducing stress structure 30 issubstantially symmetrical with respect to the line of symmetry 33.Wherein, the first balancing bump 51 has a height lower than the heightof the surface of the insole body 10 or the sole body 11 in order toreduce the contact area and contact force of the user's sole with theinsole body 10 or the sole body 11 while using the first balancing bump51 to achieve the effect of supporting and balancing the user's foot.

To further improve the supporting and balancing effects, a secondbalancing bump 52 is added on an outer side of a region of the reducingstress structure 30 and inside the foot sole region 22, and the secondbalancing bump 52 is disposed on an extension of the line of symmetry33.

In FIG. 17, when the reducing stress structure 30 a is in the prolateelliptical shape, the first balancing bump 51 and the second balancingbump 52 may be formed in the region of the reducing stress structure 30a, and disposed on the line of symmetry 33 of the reducing stressstructure 30 a, and the height of the first balancing bump 51 and thesecond balancing bump 52 is lower than the height of the surface of theinsole body 10 or the sole body 11 to also achieve the effect ofsupporting and balancing the user's foot.

Each implementation mode of the preferred embodiments is capable ofreducing the contact force of the user's foot with the insole body 10 orthe sole body 11 and overcoming the problem of rubbing the secondmetatarsus and the third metatarsus of the foot with the insole body 10and the sole body 11, thereby improving the stability of the foot.

The features of the present invention are disclosed above by thepreferred embodiment to allow persons skilled in the art to gain insightinto the contents of the present invention and implement the presentinvention accordingly. The preferred embodiment of the present inventionshould not be interpreted as restrictive of the scope of the presentinvention. Hence, all equivalent modifications or amendments made to theaforesaid embodiment should fall within the scope of the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A foot stabilizing device, being an insole body with a toe region, a foot sole region, a foot arch region, and a foot heel region disposed sequentially from an insole front-end to an insole rear-end, characterized in that the insole body comprises a reducing stress structure extended longitudinally from the center position of a rear end of the toe region to the middle position of the foot sole region.
 2. The foot stabilizing device of claim 1, wherein the reducing stress structure has a width equal to one-third of the width of the insole body width, and the reducing stress structure is in an oval shape, and the oval shape has a tapered end proximate to the toe region.
 3. The foot stabilizing device of claim 2, further comprising a first balancing bump disposed in a region of the reducing stress structure and on a line of symmetry of the reducing stress structure.
 4. The foot stabilizing device of claim 3, further comprising a second balancing bump disposed on an outer side of the region of the reducing stress structure and on an extension line of the line of symmetry.
 5. The foot stabilizing device of claim 1, wherein the reducing stress structure is further extended towards the foot heel region and extended to a front end of the foot arch region, and the reducing stress structure has a width equal to one-third of the width of the insole body, and the reducing stress structure is in a prolate elliptical shape, and both ends of the prolate elliptical shape have a tapered end.
 6. The foot stabilizing device of claim 5, further comprising a first balancing bump and a second balancing bump, both disposed in a region of the reducing stress structure and on a line of symmetry of the reducing stress structure. 7, The foot stabilizing device of claim 5, wherein the reducing stress structure has a length from 8.5 cm to 12 cm and a width from 2.5 cm to 4 cm.
 8. The foot stabilizing device of claim 1, further comprising an assistant reducing stress structure disposed at a lateral side of the foot arch region and at a position along an edge of the insole body, and having a meniscus shape for reducing the stress imposed on a user's outer arch.
 9. The foot stabilizing device of claim 8, wherein the reducing stress structure and the assistant reducing stress structure is a structure with a concave upper surface, a concave lower surface, or both concave upper and lower surfaces.
 10. The foot stabilizing device of claim 8, wherein the reducing stress structure or the assistant reducing stress structure is made of a soft substance with a hardness smaller than the hardness of the insole body.
 11. A foot stabilizing device, being a sole body with a foot contacting surface, and the foot contacting surface having a toe region, a foot sole region, a foot arch region and a foot heel region disposed sequentially from a sole front-end to a sole rear-end, characterized in that the foot contacting surface comprises a reducing stress structure, and the reducing stress structure is extended longitudinally from the center position of a rear end of the toe region to the middle position of the foot sole region.
 12. The foot stabilizing device of claim 11, wherein the reducing stress structure has a width equal to one-third of the width of the foot contacting surface width, and the reducing stress structure is in an oval shape having a tapered end proximate to the toe region. The foot stabilizing device of claim 12, further comprising a first balancing bump disposed in a region of the reducing stress structure and on a line of symmetry of the reducing stress structure.
 14. The foot stabilizing device of claim 13, further comprising a second balancing bump disposed on an outer side of the region of the reducing stress structure and on an extension line of the line of symmetry.
 15. The foot stabilizing device of claim 11, wherein the reducing stress structure is further extended towards the foot heel region and extended to a front end of the foot arch region, and the reducing stress structure has a width equal to one-third of the width of the foot contacting surface, and the reducing stress structure is in a prolate elliptical shape, and both ends of the prolate elliptical shape have a tapered end.
 16. The foot stabilizing device of claim 15, further comprising a first balancing bump and a second balancing bump, both disposed in a region of the reducing stress structure and on a line of symmetry of the reducing stress structure.
 17. The foot stabilizing device of claim 15, wherein the reducing stress structure has a length from 8.5 cm to 12 cm and a width from 2.5 cm to 4 cm.
 18. The foot stabilizing device of claim 11, further comprising an assistant reducing stress structure disposed at a lateral side of the foot arch region and at a position along an edge of the foot contacting surface and having a meniscus shape for reducing the stress imposed on a user's outer arch.
 19. The foot stabilizing device of claim 18, wherein the reducing stress structure or the assistant reducing stress structure is a structure with a concave upper surface.
 20. The foot stabilizing device of claim 18, wherein the reducing stress structure or the assistant reducing stress structure is made of a soft substance with a hardness smaller than the hardness of the sole body. 